Today's Message Index:
----------------------
1. 05:16 AM - The Ken Perkins Tailwheel Assembly (Ryan Michals)
2. 02:45 PM - Re: Another engine choice (Dick Navratil)
Message 1
INDEX | Back to Main INDEX |
NEXT | Skip to NEXT Message |
LIST | Reply to LIST Regarding this Message |
SENDER | Reply to SENDER Regarding this Message |
|
Subject: | The Ken Perkins Tailwheel Assembly |
Does anyone have experience or an opinion of the Pietenpol style steerable tailwheel
assembly that Ken Perkins sells? There seems to be several ways to incorporate
a steerable tailwheel into Bernies A arm tail skid.
-Ryan
---------------------------------
Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.
Message 2
INDEX | Back to Main INDEX |
PREVIOUS | Skip to PREVIOUS Message |
NEXT | Skip to NEXT Message |
LIST | Reply to LIST Regarding this Message |
SENDER | Reply to SENDER Regarding this Message |
|
Subject: | Re: Another engine choice |
Ken
That Hexadyne engine would not be a good choice for the Piet. It is
soooo light you would have lots of problems getting your w/b on an
already tail heavy plane.
Dick N.
----- Original Message -----
From: KMHeide, BA, CPO, FAAOP
To: Pietenpol
Sent: Sunday, February 03, 2008 12:09 AM
Subject: Pietenpol-List: Another engine choice
Hexadyne Hexatron two cylinder 60 horsepower 4 stroke aircraft
engine
Looking for an engine to power your Kitfox, Pietenpol or
similar light aircraft? The people at Hexadyne Aviation think they have
just the answer for you. The Hexadyne P60 is a new, clean-sheet design
that is just coming to market, and the manufacturer is based here in
Salt Lake City.
Hexadyne is a division of Hexatron Engineering Company,
Inc., an aerospace engineering and manufacturing firm that has been in
operation since 1983. Hexatron builds FAA certified folding crew seats
for commercial airliners, as well as replacement hub and brake
components for C-130 and F-16 aircraft that are supplied to Hill Air
Force base maintenance facilities.
Cy Williams, President and Chief Engineer of Hexadyne,
recently gave Shane Rosanova and myself a tour of the 12,000 sq. ft.
manufacturing plant on North Redwood Rd. Cy explained that Hexatron
originally got involved in experimental aviation when they became
distributors for the now-defunct Merlin aircraft line five years ago. Cy
soon realized that what was really needed was a high-quality, reliable
and lightweight four stroke engine in the 60 horsepower range.
That realization was the genesis of a three-year,
million-dollar research and development effort that has resulted in the
design of the Hexadyne P60. The P60 is a horizontally opposed,
four-stroke, four valve per cylinder, aircooled, two cylinder engine
that displaces 800 cc's and produces 60 horsepower at 5750 RPM. The
cylinder heads have been designed with extra emphasis on cooling, with
plenty of fin area and large air passages through the center of the
head.
The cylinders are directly across from each other, a
design feature to reduce the rocking vibration that results when
cylinders are offset. Hexadyne was able to do this by using one
connecting rod for one cylinder and two smaller rods on their own crank
journals for the other side cylinder. The crankshaft, a beefy steel
forging, rides in a vertically-split, two piece aluminum crankcase that
incorporates the cylinders.
A Nikasil liner in each cylinder provides the wear surface
for the forged aluminum pistons to ride in. Lubrication is provided by a
two-stage dry sump oil system. Camshafts and oil pumps are gear-driven
off the rear of the crankshaft, where the integral 45-amp alternator is
mounted. The dual throttle body fuel injection and ignition are
scheduled by an engine management computer, which provides single lever
power management.
The front of the engine contains an integral 2.5 to 1
spur-gear reduction gearbox, with thrust bearings that can handle
tractor or pusher propeller thrust loads. The engine redline is 5750
RPM, which gives 2300 RPM at the prop. Engine mounting is handled by a
rear, four point dyna-focal ring. After pointing out the design features
of the engine, Cy introduced us over to one of his engine techs, named
(appropriately enough!) Curtiss Wright. Curtiss led us to the back of
the shop, where a P60 was mounted on a test stand.
He started it up, and did runs up and down the engine RPM
range, with the three-blade Warp Drive propeller creating quite a
breeze. This particular engine had already amassed more than 800 hours
of running time, and Cy said they expect an initial TBO of 1000 hours.
The engine is expected to be available by this summer, and Hexadyne
already has deposits on 25 engines. Aircraft Spruce and Specialty will
be carrying it in their next catalog. The engines will each get a two
hour test stand run before being shipped, and will be supplied with an
installation, maintenance and overhaul manual.
The engine will be warranted for two years against
defective parts. Initial target price is $8,800 dollars. Compact size,
light-weight (98 lbs), four stroke reliability and high quality together
in one package make the Hexadyne P60 an attractive option for light
aircraft builders. Hexadyne Aviation might just have the next "big"
little engine right here in Salt Lake!
The Hexadyne 2-cylinder engine and prop make a compact
firewall-forward package. They are being marketed for ultralights and
light aircraft that will fit under the new sport pilot FAR category.
Courtesy of http://www.eaa23.org/News/nl-may01.pdf
Kenneth M. Heide, BA, CPO, FAAOP
Other Matronics Email List Services
These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.
-- Please support this service by making your Contribution today! --
|